Orthofix

Background

As a global medical device company that concentrates on the development of innovative solutions for the spine and orthopedic markets, Orthofix holds itself and its suppliers to high standards of product performance and packaging innovation. Which is why Barger, working collaboratively with Orthofix, designed and manufactured for a large number of different sized components, ensuring each were equally protected no matter what the size or shape.

The Solution

The Orthofix FORZA universal packaging system is an innovative, user-friendly designed package that accommodates the form, fit and function of 5 new Orthofix product lines currently encompassing more than 860 implants ranging in size from roughly half an inch to slightly over 2 inches in length. A double barrier sterile system, the packaging utilizes the same inner and outer thermoformed tray footprint and Tyvek lids. The unique interior retainers allow for 3 different configurations or cavity sizes to house the large number of SKUs from small to large sized parts.

The small/medium retainer system is configured for small parts to be stored in the small, or side “A” cavity, while the opposite side, or “B” cavity holds medium-sized parts. Large parts are carefully packed into the large cavity retainer for a total system that can be configured to hold the over 800 critical spinal implants.

Whether small, medium or large in size, the implant is placed into the predefined retainer which is then positioned into an inner tray and heat-sealed with a die-cut lid. The sealed inner tray is then placed into the outer tray which is again sealed with Tyvek and finally placed into a carton for gamma sterilization. By developing this universal system that consists of a total of four PETG trays with two coated Tyvek® 1073B lids, Orthofix was able to lower its overall tooling costs as well as the number of packaging part SKUs to inventory and manage, reduced the number of trays it needed to validate while ensuring total product protection and sterility.